Free Republic

This is sure to be news to Poppy and Barb. The phoniness of this last and least scion of the Bush dynasty is really stunning: There is little doubt that Jeb Bush possesses strong credentials for appealing to Hispanic voters. He speaks fluent Spanish. His wife, Columba Bush, was born in Mexico. For two years in his 20s, he lived in Venezuela, immersing himself in the country’s culture.Mr. Bush, a former Florida governor and likely presidential candidate, was born in Texas and hails from one of America’s most prominent political dynasties. But on at least one occasion, it appears he...

Jeb Bush appeared to modify his public comments about Indiana’s “religious freedom” law on Wednesday in a closed-door Silicon Valley fund-raiser, telling a small group of potential supporters that a “consensus-oriented” approach would have been better at the outset. Mr. Bush’s comments were strikingly different in tone and in scope from what he said on Monday night in an interview with the conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt. In that interview he praised Gov. Mike Pence of Indiana for doing the “right thing” and said that the new law was similar to one in Florida and to a law signed by...

Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush stated that he is “nervous” about criticism of the NSA and that he wished the president would do a better job defending government surveillance systems on Monday’s “Hugh Hewitt Show.” Bush said that lone wolf terrorism “is a serious threat in a world where we’re so connected with the rest of the world. We have people moving in and people moving out. People get their information now, not everybody gets to listen to your show to get all their information. People get their information in different ways. They get disaffected, disillusioned, preyed upon, and so...

With Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) beginning his run for the Presidency today, I should make public the question I've suggested to reporters in private. Senator Cruz is for certain going to be joined by Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), who will announce in a few weeks. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL), who I think is underrated in his bid for the Presidency even though Jeb Bush is intent on locking up Florida, will also most likely declare his candidacy. All three of these men would make excellent Presidents. I know them personally. I backed them when they were at single digits in...

Three months into what allies once confidently described as a “shock and awe” drive to overcome his rivals and dominate the Republican presidential field, Jeb Bush’s early campaigning looks like the juggernaut that wasn’t. He is grappling with the Republican Party’s prickly and demanding ideological blocs, particularly evangelical leaders and pro-Israel hawks. He is struggling to win over grass-roots activists in Iowa and New Hampshire, states he has visited only a handful of times. And Mr. Bush’s undisputed advantage — the millions of dollars streaming rapidly into his political organization — may not be enough to knock out other contenders....

As the 2016 presidential field slowly takes shape, the race — even with Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) announcing his candidacy — centers on former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and former Gov. Jeb Bush (R-Fla.). While neither has officially declared, both are working feverishly behind the scenes, building an infrastructure; testing policy platforms; and preparing for a grueling campaign season. By many outward appearances, Bush has moved more aggressively toward an announcement with the formation of the Right to Rise PAC and a bevy of policy speeches. Yet, given the potentially crowded field of Republican candidates, including current and former...

According to a New York Times report, Sen. Ted Cruz is making some critical inroads in Iowa, including gaining the support of “more than a dozen party leaders for his statewide campaign.” Some of that support is coming from the state’s libertarians, or Liberty movement, generally assumed to be aligned with Rand Paul. One, Iowa state Senator Jason Shultz, endorsed Rand’s father, Ron Paul, in 2012–and two others, Joel Kurtinitis and Chad Steenhoek, are former members of the Iowa GOP’s central committee. NYT reports: “The assumption of lot of people has been that the Liberty movement would roll over and support Senator Paul,’’...

<>Politico writes that Rand Paul is losing support among key followers. One of the most prominent defectors is Drew Ivers, chairman of Ron Paul’s 2012 Iowa campaign, who says he will not endorse Rand Paul for president. On Tuesday, three members of Iowa’s Ron Paul-aligned Liberty movement — state Sen. Jason Shultz and former Iowa Republican Party central committee members Chad Steenhoek and Joel Kurtinitis — announced the same, adding that they will support Texas Sen. Ted Cruz. Ivers, who had dinner with Rand Paul in August, said the Kentucky senator has abandoned many of the stances that made Ivers...

Nearly a week since Indiana Governor Mike Pence signed the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA), igniting a nationwide debate about whether the controversial law invites discrimination based on sexual orientation, most potential Republican presidential candidates have taken the opportunity to bolster their conservative credentials. "Governor Pence has done the right thing," said former Florida Governor Jeb Bush on Monday. “I want to commend Governor Mike Pence for his support of religious freedom, especially in the face of fierce opposition,” Texas Senator Ted Cruz said in a written statement. “Governor Pence is holding the line to protect religious liberty in the...

U.S. Senator Rand Paul is running for president … in fact, he announces his candidacy next week in Louisville, Kentucky. From there he travels to early voting Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina – including a big fundraiser in the Palmetto State the day after he announces. As we write this, money is being collected. Speeches are being vetted. He’s 100 percent in … and not only that, Paul is one of the few candidates in the race with (we believe) a path to victory. And one of the few candidates (we believe) to be worthy of real consideration. Is...

A new Quinnipiac poll has Rand Paul tied for 5th. That’s eight different polls since November showing Paul in 4th place or worse. There was a moment in 2013 when political realignment was within our grasp– a once-in-a-generation opportunity to unite conservatives and progressives under the banner of classic Jeffersonian liberalism. That window is closed– squandered by the mind-boggling incompetence of senior adviser Doug Stafford. I know what you’re thinking: It’s still early! Polls don’t matter until [some arbitrary future date]. (SNIP) Rand could meet with Al Sharpton again. Because that went over so well the first time. Rand could...

NBC’s “Meet the Press” host Chuck Todd stated that Jeb Bush seemed like “he was trying to have both sides of this debate” over Indiana’s RFRA law on Friday’s “Hugh Hewitt Show.”After hearing a clip of Jeb defending Indiana’s law as “the right thing” on Monday, Todd responded, “that’s what he told you on Monday. What do you make of what he told the Silicon Valley guys a couple of days later when he seemed to, he seemed to — he came across as sort of, he was trying to have both sides of this debate?”

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Kentucky) is the only major Republican likely 2016 presidential candidate who hasn't weighed in on the controversy over Indiana's "religious freedom" law that erupted this week — and his explanation for avoiding the issue is questionable.

On March 30, 2005, Terri Schiavo had her last full day of life on this earth and both her family and Father Frank Pavone of Priests for Life will never forget the last moments they shared with the woman whose former husband won a court order to take her life.Terri was killed on March 31, 2005 when her former husband won a protracted legal battle against the Schindler family for the right to disconnect her feeding tube. Doctors who examined Terri say she was not in a persistent vegetative state and that her condition could have been improved has she...

It was 1970 and the leftist fueled anti-Vietnam War protests were in full swing. The anti-war protestors liked to show up and shout down their opponents much like the brownshirted thugs would go after adversaries of the Nazi Party in Germany around 1930. The anti-war crowd disrupted politicians of all stripes when they tried to speak. Just like the LGBT protestors of today call the religious conservative opponents of gay marriage "bigots", "Nazis" or "KKK" the anti-war crowd called their opponents "fascists" and "storm troopers" On March 19, 1970 the anti-war protestors came to Santa Barbara, California to disrupt an...

Republican presidential hopefuls are united in blasting President Obama for his chaotic enforcement of marijuana laws, but the unity quickly breaks down when they are asked how they would handle things if they were in the White House. Some have sent mixed signals, saying state decisions should be respected while questioning how Mr. Obama has respected those decisions. Others have refused to say how they would wield the federal bureaucracy against marijuana. Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal is one of the few potential candidates to take a firm stance, saying he would insist on following federal statutes that outlaw the drug....

Anti-discrimination activists and gay rights groups welcomed a lightning evolution by Jeb Bush, this week on a controversial law passed in Indiana last week that opponents said would have made it easier for businesses to discriminate against LGBT employees and customers. On Monday, Bush praised the law as signed by Indiana’s governor, Mike Pence. On Wednesday, the former Florida governor and likely 2016 presidential candidate drew back sharply in his approbation, conceding only that the law would “be in the right place” by the end of the week, after an anticipated fix by the Indiana legislature. Bush’s original remarks were...

Outside of the class of conservative activists, it is not hard to find political analysts and observers who are convinced that the Republican presidential primaries are essentially over, and Jeb Bush won. The argument for why Bush has already sewn up the nomination is not particularly compelling, but it does have its devotees. The case centers on the fact that the former Florida governor has prohibitive access a set of prolific Republican donors. ItÂ’s perhaps no surprise that those who believe American politics is hopelessly corrupt as a result of the fact that high-dollar donors can contribute to the...

Texas Sen. Ted Cruz was born in 1970, six years after events refuted a theory on which he is wagering his candidacy. The 1964 theory was that many millions of conservatives abstained from voting because the GOP did not nominate sufficiently deep-dyed conservatives. So if in 1964 the party would choose someone like Arizona Sen. Barry Goldwater, hitherto dormant conservatives would join the electorate in numbers sufficient for victory. This theory was slain by a fact — actually, 15,951,378 facts. That was the difference between the 43,129,566 votes President Lyndon Johnson received and the 27,178,188 that Goldwater got in winning...

Former Florida governor Jeb Bush (R) is essentially tied with Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) in early primary and national polls. While he is cleaning up with big donors, Politico suggests some just are not sold: “Reliable top-tier Republican donors in Orange County — one of the nation’s most lucrative fundraising locales — are leery of committing until they get a better feel for Bush’s electability. … That keep-the-powder-dry approach represents a stark difference from the county’s embrace of Romney, who raised more than $40 million from California for the 2012 cycle.” Meanwhile, Bush’s likability ratings are nothing to write...